Sheet assembling apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for assembling sheets comprises a rotatable assembling cylinder, having sheet grippers thereon movable outwardly and inwardly of the peripheral wall thereof, sheet guide means disposed adjacent a sector of the peripheral wall and means for feeding the sheets into the sheet guide. Rotation of the cylinder causes the grippers to open and close down over a sheet during each revolution.

United States Patent Thomas et al.

[4 1 Nov. 25, 1975 SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Inventors: Hermann Thomas, Darmstadt;

Heinz Kreiter, Darmstadt-Arheilgen; Friedrich Weber, Kilsbacherweg, all of Germany Maschinenfabrik Goebel GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany Filed: Nov. 12, 1973 Appl. No.: 414,944

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 10, 1972 Germany ..2255043 U.S. Cl. 270/60 Int. Cl. B65H 39/08 Field of Search 270/6, 7, l0, l3, l4, 19,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1881 Clause 270/60 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 620,892 IO/l935 Germany 270/60 Primary ExaminerEdgar S. Burr Assistant Examiner-A. Heinz Attorney, Agent, or FirmWatson, Cole, Grindle & Watson [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for assembling sheets comprises a rotatable assembling cylinder, having sheet grippers thereon movable outwardly and inwardly of the peripheral wall thereof, sheet guide means disposed adjacent a sector of the peripheral wall and means for feeding the sheets into the sheet guide. Rotation of the cylinder causes the grippers to open and close down over a sheet during each revolution.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent N0v.25, 1975 Sheet10f3 3,921,968

U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet2of3 3,921,968

US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 3 of3 SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS This invention relates generally to a sheet assembling apparatus and more particularly to such an apparatus using a rotatable cylinder, having sheet grippers thereon which are actuated to firmly grip and hold a sheet on the cylinder peripheral wall each time the cylinder rotates.

Among the prior art devices for assemblying and stacking of the sheets one on top of the other, German Pat. No. 763,627 discloses a device in which the sheets are assembled either with the use of a suction cylinder or by means of a cylinder having sheet grippers thereon. Also, a US. Pat. No. 3,363,520 shows a manner of assembling sheets using a suction cylinder and a flexible tape guide for the sheets enveloping such cylinder. The basic drawback with the use of such technique is that no more than two sheets can be placed one on top of the other without the possibility of a relative shifting of the sheets. Moreover, when sheet grippers are used together with a cylinder, various sizes and types of such grippers become necessary. The disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the cylinder must rotate at an increased speed as compared with the speed of the sheet delivery to the cylinder. Moreover, the additional space required for the grippers and their operating means only adds to the cost of operating such a separating apparatus.

Heretofore, at least two types of grippers were necessary for properly assembling more than two sheets on a rotating cylinder. One of such grippers must normally hold the already assembled sheets firmly on the cylinder wall, and the other type of gripper must seize the sheet following the one having already been assembled in such a way that all of the sheets are made to lie exactly one on top of the other.

Sheet registering devices are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,080.1 63 and 3,606,308 as operable with the use .of a kinematic drive comprising cam plates. However,

the grippers are not combined with assembling cylinders.

In accordance with the present invention, several sheets separated from an elongated web are placed one on top of the other and are thereafter discharged for -further processing. The sheets may be separated by bursting as for a series of connected sheets, or they may be severed from a printed web. The disadvantages of the known arrangements are avoided by the invention which makes it possible to perfectly assemble two or more sheets with the use of an assembling cylinder. The speed of such cylinder should only be slightly greater than the delivery speed of the sheets to be ultimately assembled on top of one another. Gripping means are operatively associated with the assembling cylinder for gripping a plurality of stacked sheets and holding them firmly against the cylindrical wall as gripping fingers are made to open and close over such sheets. The gripping fingers are mounted and spaced along a shaft rotatably mounted for extending the fingers outwardly from and toward the peripheral wall of the cylinder. Also, spaced guide strips are disposed adjacent a sector of the cylinders peripheral wall for the reception of sheets from a sheet feeding means between these strips and the cylinder. The open gripping fingers, therefore, extend through the spaces between the guide strips during rotation of the cylinder for gripping a plurality of sheets as the gripping fingers are moved downwardly thereover.

Means for rotating the shaft to thereby open and close the gripping fingers over the sheets include an offset roller freely mounted on the shaft, the roller being in rolling engagement with a cam plate to effect the prescribed rotation of the shaft. Moreover, the shaft may be rotatably mounted within a rotatable carrier mounted on the cylinder and having spaced slots through which the carrier fingers extend upon rotation of the shaft. Rotation of the carrier is likewise effected by means of a roller freely mounted thereon and offset from the carrier axis, the roller being in rolling engagement with another cam plate to effect the necessary rotation of the carrier.

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 represents a side view of the assembling apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the gripping means mounted on the assembling cylinder taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3a through 3d illustrate the opening and closing movements of the gripping fingers relative to the sheets to be gripped; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing in part the spaced sheet guides in relation to the gripping fingers holding a sheet firmly on the peripheral wall of the cylinder.

Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, an elongated web 1 is shown as being fed into a transverse cutting arrangement comprising a rotatably mounted cutting cylinder 2 and a rotatably mounted backup cylinder 3. Sheets 4 and 4a cut from web 1 proceed through the gap between tape guides 5 and 6 so as to be guided tangentially toward an assembling cylinder 7. Of course, web 1 may also comprise serially interconnected sheets so that a bursting apparatus would be provided for separating the sheets along transverse lines of weakening. This would, therefore, avoid the need for cylinders 2 and 3.

Assembling cylinder 7 is mounted on its axial shaft 8 for rotation in the direction of its arrow shown in FIG. 1 by means not illustrated in the drawings. Also, sheets 4, 4a and subsequent ones cut or separated from the web are fed in between the peripheral wall of cylinder 7 and a plurality of guide webs or strips 9 disposed adjacent a sector of the cylindrical wall. Strips 9 are mounted in place by means of stationary rollers 10, 11, 12, and 13 at a distance a (see FIG. 3a) from the wall of cylinder 7. The tapes may be adjusted toward and away from cylinder 7 by a turnbuckle 14 or the like to accomodate various sheet thicknesses or different numbers of sheets to be assembled. For example, distance a can have a value of 0, so that the sheet guide tapes 9 rest directly on the peripheral surface of cylinder 7 when a sheet lies between the tapes and the assembling cylinder.

The gripping means generally shown at 15 in FIG. 1, for seizing a sheet one at a time introduced into the space between strips 9 and the cylindrical wall, includes a hollow carrier member 16 mounted for rotation between side walls 17 and 18 of assembling cylinder 7. The carrier is rotatably mounted in bearings 19 and 20 located in aligned openings 21 and 22.

Also, a portion of carrier 16 extends outwardly of side wall 18 as at 23 which is partially U-shaped as shown. A roller 26 is freely mounted for rotation between legs 24 and 25 of this U-shaped section by means of an eccentric pin 27. A cam plate 28 is located in vertical alignment with roller 26 and is disposed on shaft 8 for independent rotation by means of a separate gearing arrangement (not shown). In the alternative, cam plate 28 may be fixedly mounted with respect to shaft 8.

It should be pointed out that shaft 8 extends between spaced walls 29 and 30 of the apparatus frame for rotation in respective bearings 31 and 32.

A shaft 33 is rotatably mounted within carrier 16 between its end walls 34, 35 by means of bearings 36 and 37. One end of shaft 33 extends outwardly of end wall 34 and has an element 38 fixedly mounted thereon, such element also having a U-shaped section defined by legs 39, 40. Two freely rotatable rollers 41 and 42 are mounted between legs and 41 by means of an eccentric pin 43. Cam plates 44 and 45 are mounted similarly to that of cam plate 28 and are each mounted on shaft 8 for independent rotation as by means of a gearing arrangement (not shown), or plates 44 and 45 may be fixedly mounted with respect to shaft 8. Plates 44 and 45 are respectively located in vertical alignment with rollers 41 and 42, and all the rollers 26, 41 and 42 are resiliently urged into contact with the peripheral edge surfaces of their respective cam plates by means such as leaf springs or the like (not shown).

A plurality of spaced gripping fingers 46 are fixedly mounted along the length of shaft 33 between the carrier end walls 34, 35. The fingers are forwardly bent in the manner shown in FIG. 1, and they project outwardly through respective slots 47 provided in the wall of carrier 16. In FIG. 1, it can be seen that a straight line passing through the geometric axes of shaft 33; and carrier 16 does'not intersect the axis of the assembling cylinder when the gripping fingers are closed.

In operation, sheets 4, 4a, etc. are fed into the space;

between guide tapes 9 and the peripheral wall of assembling cylinder 7. As shown in FIG. 3a, gripping fingers 46 are made to remain closed in their position shown therein so as to pass beneath sheet 4 and are not made to open until they pass beyond the leading edge of the sheet. The assembling cylinder is rotated at a speed slightly greater than the rate at which the sheets are fed on to the tapes, and the gripping fingers are made to open and close down over a sheet during each revolution of the assembling cylinder. The closing movement of fingers 46 is effected by means of rollers 41, 42 in continued rolling contact with the edge of their respective cam plates 44 and 45. Shaft 33, on which the fin- 7, gers are mounted, is rotated each time rollers 41 and 42 contact flat portions such as 44a on their cam plates. It

can be seen that contact between these flat sections and respective rollers 41 and 42 will cause a slight inward rotation of shaft 33 and consequentlyan outward extension of the gripping fingers through their respective slots 47. Movement of shaft 33 can. therefore. be regulated upon independent rotation of the cam plates When one or more sheets are desired to be collected and seized by the gripping fingers, shaft 33 is so rotated as to cause the gripping fingers to be extended outwardly through their respective slots 47 from a position relative to the sheets as shown in FIG. 3b to that shown in FIGS. 30 and 3d as the assembling cylinder revolves relative to the sheets located on guide tapes 9. Counter rotation of shaft 33 and a consequent movement of the gripping fingers back toward the peripheral wall of the assembling cylinder is made to take place so that the gripping fingers will gradually clamp down over the sheets as shown in the FIGS. 3e and 3g to thereby firmly grip them against the peripheral wall of cylinder 7. Such outward movement of gripping fingers as in FIGS. 30 and 3d, and inward movement of the gripping fingers as in FIGS. 3e to 3g are effected as rollers 41 and 42 on shaft 33 are made to contact the respective flat portions of cam plates 44 and 45. Carrier 16 is rotated in timed relationship with shaft 33 to permit the gripping fingers to move entirely within the carrier in the closed position of these fingers. Such rotation of the carrier is effected by means of roller 26 being in engagement with flat section 280 of cam plate 28 as it is independently rotated.

It can therefore be seen that one or more sheets are gripped by the gripping fingers in their open position as these fingers pass through the spaces between guide tapes 9 to effectivly grip these sheets as in the manner shown in FIG. 4. This gripping action takes place before the gripping fingers move beyond that end of tapes 9 lying nearest guides 5 and 6. It should be pointed out that the size of assembling cylinder 7 is shown in FIG. 1 as much larger than the relative sizes of the sheets mainly for the purpose of illustrating the invention. The size of sheets 4 are much larger than shown in FIG. 1, and cylinder 7 has a much smaller diameter than shown therein.

After the first sheet 4 has been dropped into the space between tapes 9 and cylinder 7, and has been gripped in the manner as afore described, the second sheet 4a is gripped in a similar manner during the subsequent revolution of the assembling cylinder. Cylinder '7 revolves at a speed slightly greater than the rate at --which the sheets are dropped to lie on tapes 9 and, as

shaft 33 rotates as in FIGS. 3a to 3g within the rotated carrier, the gripping fingers open and close down over a sheet each time the assembling cylinder rotates.

Whenever a sufficient number of sheets has been assembled one on top ofthe other by the gripping fingers, they are discharged in any known manner from the assembling cylinder upon an opening of the fingers. For example, the assembled sheets may be fed through an additional cylinder 48 rotating in the direction of its arrow shown in FIG. 1 and being of a construction simi lar to that described for assembling cylinder 7.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the I present invention are made possible in light of the above teachings- For example, the plates. may be arrangedother than cpncentricallyjwith the assembling cylinder and either inwardlyel outwardly thereof. Also, the cam plates may be of some other irregular configuration as" compared to that shown. Fewer or greater than the number of described gripping fingers may be provided, and some other design for tapes 9 may be provided for the width of the sheets to be assembled without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for assembling at least two sheets one on top of the other, comprising a cylinder having a peripheral wall and being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, sheet gripping means comprising a 5 shaft parallel to said cylinder axis and having at least one gripping finger mounted thereon and extending outwardly so as to bear against said peripheral wall, a hollow carrier member parallel to said shaft and being mounted for rotation on said cylinder, said shaft being eccentrically mounted within said carrier member for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft as well as about a parallel axis slightly spaced from said shaft axis, said finger extending outwardly through an opening provided in said carrier member and in said peripheral wall, sheet guide and retention means comprising at least one strip located adjacent said peripheral wall, said strip extending along at least one quadrant of said cylinder, means for feeding sheets sequentially between said strip and said peripheral wall, each of the sheets at a leading edge thereof being made in the first instance to overlie said finger, means for rotating said shaft about said shaft axis as well as about said parallel axis for movement of said finger between its position bearing against said peripheral wall to a shifted position along said wall and a position extending outwardly of said peripheral wall and back to a position holding down the sheets against said peripheral wall 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said shaft include rollers mounted for free rotation on said shaft and on said carrier member, and cam plates in contact engagement with said rollers, said cam plates having central axes coincident with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder whereby, upon rotation of said cylinder, said shaft and said carrier member are caused to rotate for movement of said finger between its said positions.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said fingers are spaced along said shaft, and a plurality of said strips are spaced apart between which said fingers extend.

4. Apparatus for assembling at least two sheets one on top of the other, comprising a cylinder having a peripheral wall and being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, sheet gripping means comprising a shaft parallel to said cylinder axis and having at least one gripping finger mounted thereon and extending outwardly so as to bear against said peripheral wall, a hollow carrier member being mounted for rotation on said cylinder, a longitudinal axis of said carrier member being parallel to said shaft, said shaft being eccentrically mounted within said carrier member for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft as well as about a parallel axis slightly spaced from said shaft axis, sheet guide and retention means comprising at least one strip located adjacent said peripheral wall, said strip extending along at least one quadrant of said cylinder, means for feeding sheets sequentially between said strip and said peripheral wall, each of the sheets at a leading edge thereof being made in the first instance to overlie said finger, means for rotating said shaft about said shaft axis as well as about said parallel axis for movement of said finger between its position bearing-against said peripheral wall to a shifted position along said wall and a position extending outwardly of said peripheral wall and back to a position holding down the sheets against said peripheral wall. 

1. Apparatus for assembling at least two sheets one on top of the other, comprising a cylinder having a peripheral wall and being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, sheet gripping means comprising a shaft parallel to said cylinder axis and having at least one gripping finger mounted thereon and extending outwardly so as to bear against said peripheral wall, a hollow carrier member parallel to said shaft and being mounted for rotation on said cylinder, said shaft being eccentrically mounted within said carrier member for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft as well as about a parallel axis slightly spaced from said shaft axis, said finger extending outwardly through an opening provided in said carrier member and in said peripheral wall, sheet guide and retention means comprising at least one strip located adjacent said peripheral wall, said strip extending along at least one quadrant of said cylinder, means for feeding sheets sequentially between said strip and said peripheral wall, each of the sheets at a leading edge thereof being made in the first instance to overlie said finger, means for rotating said shaft about said shaft axis as well as about said parallel axis for movement of said finger between its position bearing against said peripheral wall to a shifted position along said wall and a posItion extending outwardly of said peripheral wall and back to a position holding down the sheets against said peripheral wall.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said shaft include rollers mounted for free rotation on said shaft and on said carrier member, and cam plates in contact engagement with said rollers, said cam plates having central axes coincident with said longitudinal axis of said cylinder whereby, upon rotation of said cylinder, said shaft and said carrier member are caused to rotate for movement of said finger between its said positions.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said fingers are spaced along said shaft, and a plurality of said strips are spaced apart between which said fingers extend.
 4. Apparatus for assembling at least two sheets one on top of the other, comprising a cylinder having a peripheral wall and being mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, sheet gripping means comprising a shaft parallel to said cylinder axis and having at least one gripping finger mounted thereon and extending outwardly so as to bear against said peripheral wall, a hollow carrier member being mounted for rotation on said cylinder, a longitudinal axis of said carrier member being parallel to said shaft, said shaft being eccentrically mounted within said carrier member for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft as well as about a parallel axis slightly spaced from said shaft axis, sheet guide and retention means comprising at least one strip located adjacent said peripheral wall, said strip extending along at least one quadrant of said cylinder, means for feeding sheets sequentially between said strip and said peripheral wall, each of the sheets at a leading edge thereof being made in the first instance to overlie said finger, means for rotating said shaft about said shaft axis as well as about said parallel axis for movement of said finger between its position bearing against said peripheral wall to a shifted position along said wall and a position extending outwardly of said peripheral wall and back to a position holding down the sheets against said peripheral wall. 